Diggers have closed the gap on top spot Exies after a convincing win over Coro Cougars at West End Oval on Saturday afternoon. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Diggers made a strong start through Dom Brown and Scott Smith at the top of the order. The pair were able to put on 30 for the first wicket before Brown (16) was caught short of his ground with an accurate throw from Damien Walker. Smith and Trevor Richards were able to keep the score ticking over before Mitchell Williams-Hedges (1/13) picked up the wicket of Smith (17) when he was caught by Shane Hutchinson. The wickets didn’t halt the flow of runs from Diggers with the ever-reliable Richards and captain Theo Valeri able to push their side into triple figures. Coro was finally able to break the partnership when Dean Bennett (1/48) removed Richards (39) but not before they had put 53 runs on the board. The Valeri brothers, Theo and Tom, kept the moving their side into a strong position before Theo (33) fell when he was caught by Rob Rand off the bowling of Lucas Conlan (1/31). With just 16 balls left in the innings Tom Valeri (43*) put the foot down to score 32 runs and see their side finish their 40 overs on 4/165. It was always going to be a tough chase for the Cougars, but the task was made harder when Dean Bennett was dismissed by Theo Valeri with the first ball of their innings. Issues continued to compound with Rob Rand falling to Matt Peruzzi in the second over the see the Coro side struggling at 2/2 after 1.3 overs. Finding partnerships proved to be the biggest issue for the Cougars as Valeri (2/15) struck again to remove Williams-Hedges (5) before Coro were able to mount some form of resistance. Conlan (11) and Tim Rand (18) were the only Cougars to post double digits and the biggest partnership of the day came from the seventh-wicket partnership between Rand and Jack Hutchinson (9). Richards was the pick of the bowlers for Diggers as the finished with figures of 3/21 off his seven overs while Peruzzi (2/13) and Corey O’Reilly (2/13) joined Valeri with two wickets each to see Coro bowled out for 80 to give Diggers an 85-run win.

Diggers close the gap at the top of the table

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Diggers made a strong start through Dom Brown and Scott Smith at the top of the order.

The pair were able to put on 30 for the first wicket before Brown (16) was caught short of his ground with an accurate throw from Damien Walker.

Smith and Trevor Richards were able to keep the score ticking over before Mitchell Williams-Hedges (1/13) picked up the wicket of Smith (17) when he was caught by Shane Hutchinson.

The wickets didn’t halt the flow of runs from Diggers with the ever-reliable Richards and captain Theo Valeri able to push their side into triple figures.

Coro was finally able to break the partnership when Dean Bennett (1/48) removed Richards (39) but not before they had put 53 runs on the board.

The Valeri brothers, Theo and Tom, kept the moving their side into a strong position before Theo (33) fell when he was caught by Rob Rand off the bowling of Lucas Conlan (1/31).

With just 16 balls left in the innings Tom Valeri (43*) put the foot down to score 32 runs and see their side finish their 40 overs on 4/165.

It was always going to be a tough chase for the Cougars, but the task was made harder when Dean Bennett was dismissed by Theo Valeri with the first ball of their innings.

Issues continued to compound with Rob Rand falling to Matt Peruzzi in the second over the see the Coro side struggling at 2/2 after 1.3 overs.

Finding partnerships proved to be the biggest issue for the Cougars as Valeri (2/15) struck again to remove Williams-Hedges (5) before Coro were able to mount some form of resistance.

Conlan (11) and Tim Rand (18) were the only Cougars to post double digits and the biggest partnership of the day came from the seventh-wicket partnership between Rand and Jack Hutchinson (9).

Richards was the pick of the bowlers for Diggers as the finished with figures of 3/21 off his seven overs while Peruzzi (2/13) and Corey O’Reilly (2/13) joined Valeri with two wickets each to see Coro bowled out for 80 to give Diggers an 85-run win.